Brenda J. Council is a labor lawyer in North Omaha, Nebraska

North Omaha, Nebraska

North Omaha is a community area in Omaha, Nebraska, USA. It is bordered by Cuming and Dodge Streets on the south, Interstate 680 on the north, North 72nd Street on the west and the Missouri River and Carter Lake, Iowa on the east, as defined by the University of Nebraska at Omaha and the Omaha...

. She is currently a Nebraska State Senator. She represents the 11th District in the Nebraska State Legislature, serving as the successor of Ernie Chambers

Ernie Chambers

Ernest W. Chambers is a former Nebraska State Senator who represented North Omaha's 11th District in the Nebraska State Legislature. He is also a civil rights activist and is considered by most citizens of Nebraska as the most prominent and outspoken African American leader in the state...

.

Political career

She has served on the Omaha School Board and the Omaha City Council

Omaha City Council

The City Council of Omaha, Nebraska is elected every four years on a nonpartisan basis. The next election will occur in 2009. Omaha has a strong mayor form of government. Members are elected by district...

, and ran for mayor in 1994 and 1997, losing both elections by slim margins. She was formerly western regional president of the National Caucus of Black School Board Members. Interestingly, she was featured three times in Ebony Magazine due to her prominence as an Omaha leader. She is a permanent roundtable member of the Omaha KETV

KETV

KETV, digital channel 20 , is the ABC affiliate television station in Omaha, Nebraska and is owned by Hearst Television...

 television Sunday morning talk show, Kaleidoscope. In February 2008, she filed to run for the seat in the Nebraska State Legislature being vacated by Senator Ernie Chambers

Ernie Chambers

Ernest W. Chambers is a former Nebraska State Senator who represented North Omaha's 11th District in the Nebraska State Legislature. He is also a civil rights activist and is considered by most citizens of Nebraska as the most prominent and outspoken African American leader in the state...

, who is barred from seeking re-election due to term limits. In November 2008, she was elected to the Nebraska Legislature.

Biography

Council was born in Omaha, attended Omaha Central High School

Omaha Central High School

Omaha Central High School, originally known as Omaha High School, was founded in 1859.The current building, located in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska, was designed by John Latenser, Sr. and built between 1900 and 1912...

 and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (class of 1974). She received a law degree from Creighton University

Creighton University

Creighton University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1878, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. The university is accredited by...

 Law School in 1977. {ref http://news.legislature.ne.gov/dist11/biography/} She is married to Otha Kenneth Council.

Awards

Council's work and leadership has garnered widespread attention. She has earned numerous awards and honors including the Urban League of Nebraska's National Prominence Award, selection as the Nebraska Outstanding Young Woman, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Teachers College Alumni Award of Excellence, the African American award of the Durham Western Heritage Museum and installation as the 62nd Face on the Floor of the Omaha Press Club.